My attempt to buy Penzoil Ultra at Autozone

[Hokiefyd]

Does anyone else think it's significant...or at least odd...that two different AutoZone employees would say that Platinum and Ultra are now the same product? Is it reasonable to expect that two different people (and in different parts of the organization) would come up with the same lie when pressed about an out-of-stock product?

I wonder if AutoZone has mis-interpreted some marketing material from SOPUS at one point in the past.

 

[danthaman1980]

Yet another example of AutoZone's corporate incompetence/dishonesty, in my opinion. Some time back I committed to boycotting AutoZone due to their execution of a 'zero tolerance' policy that ended with a veteran/young father getting fired for doing the right thing...

Well unfortunately, on Tuesday I found it necessary to walk into AZ again... my current battery is a Duralast Gold - free replacement period over but still under prorated warranty (I bought it 38 months ago). It has been getting weaker and weaker, so I thought I'd go into AZ to have it load tested before it leaves me stranded. AZ's response: Our on-vehilce load tester is broken and our in-store load tester is on the fritz. You can take it down to O'Reilly to have it load tested.

Really? You're going to TELL me to go down to your nearest COMPETITOR instead of the other AutoZone here in town? That is ingenious... And what happens if/when it tests bad? I'm going to come back here and tell you I had it tested and its bad, and you're going to take MY word for it and warranty it? Not likely.

Sure glad we have O'Reilly, Advance, and NAPA nearby - my frustration with AZ seems to know no bounds.

And by the way, does anyone think that multiple AZs replacing Ultra with Platinum while the Ultra is on sale is a mere COINCIDENCE? And multiple employees spreading misinformation about the oils being the same? Not a chance. This is the worst kind of bait-and-switch tactic.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: danthaman1980
AZ's response: Our on-vehilce load tester is broken and our in-store load tester is on the fritz. You can take it down to O'Reilly to have it load tested.


That`s insane! Behavior like that should be grounds for instant termination. They refused to help a customer and basically said "No we`re not going to help you,go someplace else". Proper thing for them to have done was to replace your battery right there on the spot. I hope you called their corporate headquarters,and if not,definitely do so asap.

 

[danthaman1980]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: danthaman1980
AZ's response: Our on-vehilce load tester is broken and our in-store load tester is on the fritz. You can take it down to O'Reilly to have it load tested.


That`s insane! Behavior like that should be grounds for instant termination. They refused to help a customer and basically said "No we`re not going to help you,go someplace else". Proper thing for them to have done was to replace your battery right there on the spot. I hope you called their corporate headquarters,and if not,definitely do so asap.


Yes, I agree it is insane. Fortunately (or unfortunately, however you want to look at it), the AZ employee that told me to go elsewhere is a female who is on the young and attractive side, and I do not wish to see her fired. But regardless, I consider it poor training and abhorrent coroporate policies that account for situations like this, and I don't wish to take it out on any one store employee.

I do plan to take it to the other AZ in town as soon as I have time - maybe they can help a customer out!

 

[KCJeep]

Originally Posted By: danthaman1980

And by the way, does anyone think that multiple AZs replacing Ultra with Platinum while the Ultra is on sale is a mere COINCIDENCE? And multiple employees spreading misinformation about the oils being the same? Not a chance. This is the worst kind of bait-and-switch tactic.


From what I've seen posted here my guess would be that AZ is not going to carry Ultra any longer, and they are using this sale to eliminate all remaining Ultra stock, and telling employees to substitute Platinum as that is all there will be there from now on.

I don't work for AZ but have spent long enough in retail to guess this is what is going on. But not the way to handle it IMO.

 

[CDTMAZDA3]

Autozone is currently running a coupon special for the purchase of Mobil 1 Racing 4T (10w-40 for four-stroke motorcycles). The coupon is supposed to be good for $7 off the purchase of 3 quarts (yes-3!). AutoZone's regular price is the same as MSRP, or $10.99/quart.

So the other day I printed the coupon and stopped at a AutoZone not far from my office during the drive home after work. When I arrived there were only two customers in the store and I only spotted one AutoZone employee behind the counter. After waiting patiently for more than 5 minutes to check out while the guy behind the counter was helping the only other customer in the store, another employee finally appeared behind me & asked what I needed. I told him I just wanted to check out and proceeded to hand him the coupon and three quarts of Mobil 1 4T.

After scanning the oil and coupon w/out saying anything he began to study the coupon. After several minutes of silence I finally asked what was the problem and he told me the system wasn't recognizing the discount. I pointed out that the coupon clearly matched the oil I was purchasing and that the expiration date wasn't until March 4. However, instead of simply overriding the system and allowing me to check out, without another word he walked away and left me standing there. I assumed he'd left to confirm the promotion online, but after spending at least 15 minutes simply trying to check out I finally became fed up and walked out of the store leaving the oil sitting on the counter.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted By: Thax
Originally Posted By: electrolover
Yeah just like my local napa says qs and pyb are the same. They pointed out the sopus on the bottle for me. You cant talk to parts people


All Parts employee's are not going to know everything about motor oil , it cracks me up that people on this site expect everyone including parts people to know every detail about every oil. For a bitoger this stuff and information is a big hobby to us , to the general public they couldnt tell the difference between 10w-40 and 0w-20. To the average parts guy , they SHOULD know operational differences between grades and syn and dino and to find the correct oil for any given application. They dont have to know and shouldn't be expected to know all the nuances of the oil industry. For those who say Counter people dont know anything ...ok , lets see you custom order that part you need .Go ahead source a FDO or use the EPC system ...its a breeze and moron can do it lol . Seriously though there are bad and great parts people , just like any profession.


Yeah those systems have a mean learning curve.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm

That`s insane! Behavior like that should be grounds for instant termination. They refused to help a customer and basically said "No we`re not going to help you,go someplace else". Proper thing for them to have done was to replace your battery right there on the spot. I hope you called their corporate headquarters,and if not,definitely do so asap.


Wait a minute here. There are certain policies in place that require the associate to test all batteries coming in, it is usually mandatory.

I'm sure they did not tell him to shop at O'Reilly's. It was probably more like, if you want it tested, we can't do it for you because ours is broken, but if you take it down the street to O'Reilly's they can test it for you if you want to make sure the battery is toast.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: CDTMAZDA3
Autozone is currently running a coupon special for the purchase of Mobil 1 Racing 4T (10w-40 for four-stroke motorcycles). The coupon is supposed to be good for $7 off the purchase of 3 quarts (yes-3!). AutoZone's regular price is the same as MSRP, or $10.99/quart.

So the other day I printed the coupon and stopped at a AutoZone not far from my office during the drive home after work. When I arrived there were only two customers in the store and I only spotted one AutoZone employee behind the counter. After waiting patiently for more than 5 minutes to check out while the guy behind the counter was helping the only other customer in the store, another employee finally appeared behind me & asked what I needed. I told him I just wanted to check out and proceeded to hand him the coupon and three quarts of Mobil 1 4T.

After scanning the oil and coupon w/out saying anything he began to study the coupon. After several minutes of silence I finally asked what was the problem and he told me the system wasn't recognizing the discount. I pointed out that the coupon clearly matched the oil I was purchasing and that the expiration date wasn't until March 4. However, instead of simply overriding the system and allowing me to check out, without another word he walked away and left me standing there. I assumed he'd left to confirm the promotion online, but after spending at least 15 minutes simply trying to check out I finally became fed up and walked out of the store leaving the oil sitting on the counter.


Sounds like my experience the other night when I went to AZ to buy the Syntec special. I'd asked a VERY elementary question concerning said special and the both had that *duhhhh* look on their face and their answer to my question was "Uh,I dunno" and then proceeded to ignore me. Drove to Walmart and bought 2 oil changes worth of Syntec after receiving excellent customer service from the lady who went above and beyond to help me.